3

Getting Information
Lesson A

1 Vocabulary Link
A

We talk about everything.

Read what these people say. Notice the words in blue.

Which ones can have a negative meaning?

I gossip with friends in

a cafe. We chat about
everything from celebrities
to whos dating whom. We
share our deepest secrets.

How we communicate

Some people dont know

how to talk to others
easily because theyre
shy. I wrote a book called
How to strike up a
conversation with anyone.

Talk about your own experiences with a partner. Use the blue words in A.

When we were kids, we

argued all the time. We dont
fight anymorein fact,
now were really close. We
discuss everything and ask
each other for advice.

I send a lot of text messages

to my friends. One day
last week I sent over 50
messages. Its easier and
quicker than calling someone.

A: When I was a kid, I argued with my sister a lot, too.

B: Really? Not me. I didnt argue with my little brother at all.

Complete the sentences with the noun form of the verbs in the chart.
In some cases, more than one word is possible.
Use your dictionary for help.
1. We had a long ________________ about the situation at work.
2. They got into a big ________________ and started shouting.
3. Shes giving a ________________ on the new proposal later today.
4. Its impossible to carry on a ________________ here. Its too noisy.
5. I hadnt seen her in a long time. We had a very nice ________________.

verbs

nouns

argue

argument

chat

chat

converse

conversation

discuss

discussion

talk

talk

Ask and answer these questions with a partner.

1. What does your family typically chat about over dinner?
2. Whats a topic you could condently give a talk on?
3. What are some things you can do to avoid getting into an argument with someone?
4. Whats the hardest thing about carrying on a conversation in English?
5. When did you last have a discussion with your teacher? What did you talk about?

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2 Listening
A

Ask all your friends!

Look at the names of the online sites below.

Which ones do you know?
Which site(s) do you use?
Facebook

MySpace

Orkut

Renren

LinkedIn

Mixi

hi5

your idea: ____________________

B
CD 1
Track 13

Read the questions below. Then listen to an advertisement for a new online service.
Which question might you ask with the service?
a. Do you own a cell phone?
b. Can I borrow your cell phone?
c. Whats an affordable cell phone?
d. Whats the best thing about cell phones?

C
CD 1
Track 13

Listen again. Complete the summary about InstaHelp and how it works.
When you have a question, its easy to waste time looking for
(1) ___________________ online. InstaHelp is an (2) ___________________
service. You ask an important (3) ___________________ by
(4) ___________________ or instant message. InstaHelp
(5) ___________________ it on to some of your online
(6) ___________________ (and their acquaintances too).
You then get live answers back in (7) ___________________

ASK
K ANSWER
Look back at your answers in Exercise C and
explain to a partner how the InstaHelp service
works. Would you use it? Why or why not?

minutes or so.

3 Pronunciation
A

Stress: verb + preposition

Look at the two underlined words in each question. Which one is stressed? Listen and check your answers.
1. Who do you talk to when you have a problem?

CD 1
Track 14

2. What do you talk about with your friends?

3. What is everyone gossiping about these days?
4. Do you need to discuss anything with your teacher?
5. Who do you chat with the most on the phone?

Practice saying the sentences. Ask and answer the questions with a partner.

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4 Speaking
A
CD 1
Track 15

Could I interrupt for a second?

Read the conversation. Answer the questions.

1. What does Jared need?
2. What is Anas advice?
3. Does Jared know Ms. Ruiz?
How do you know?
Ana:

Oh, look . . . theres Gloria Ruiz. Do you know her?

?

Jared: No, I dont. Who is she?

Ana:

Shes the VP of Marketing for Global Industries.

Shes standing right over there.

Jared: Is she the tall woman in the sweater?

Ana:

No, Gloria is the woman with glasses. Shes chatting with the
man in the suit.

Jared: You know, I am looking for a job.

Ana:

You should talk to her. Maybe she can help you.

Jared: Thats a good idea. Thanks!

.................................................................................................................
Jared: Excuse me, Ms. Ruiz? May I interrupt for a moment? My
name is Jared Levy . . .

Practice the conversation with a partner.

5 Speaking Strategy
My friend and I were talking about
our homework. I interrupted her
because the bus was coming!

Think of a time you interrupted someone. Who were you talking to?
What were you talking about?

Role play. Work in groups of three. Use the language from the Useful Expressions box to help you.
Student 1: You are at a party. You
need to interrupt two people who
are having a conversation. Choose a
reason below.
You think you know Student 2.
You want to introduce yourself.
You need directions from the
party to another place.
Your idea: _________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________

Useful Expressions: Interrupting someone politely

Introducing yourself
Excuse me. May I interrupt for a moment? My name is . . .
Im sorry to interrupt. / I beg your pardon. I just wanted to
introduce myself. My name is . . .
Interrupting someone you know
Excuse me. Sorry to bother you, (name), but I have a question.
Could I interrupt for a second? I just wanted to say/ask something.

Students 2 and 3: You are chatting.

Student 1 will interrupt your
conversation. Ask him or her at least
two questions.

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6 Language Link
A

Read the question and answers in the chart. Notice the different phrases used to describe people.

Do you know
Joe Smith?

Participial and prepositional phrases

Participial (-ing) phrases

Prepositional phrases

Hes the guy chatting on the phone.

Hes the guy on the phone.

Hes the person wearing a suit.

Hes the man in a suit.

Hes the one standing near the door.

Hes the guy with (the) black hair.

Write questions about the people in the picture. (Use the words in parentheses.)
Start your questions with Do you know . . . ?
Do you know . . .
Do you know the woman talking to the bus driver?

1. (talk / bus driver)

2. (listen / music)
3. (skateboard and backpack)
4. (school uniforms)
5. (talk / phone)

Choose a person in the picture. Dont tell your partner. Your partner guesses the person.

Is it someone with a briefcase?

Yes, it is.
Is it the woman talking to the bus driver?
No, its not. Keep guessing.

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7 Communication

Your future job

Look at these jobs. What are they? Make a list. Add other jobs to your list.

You are going to interview a partner and then suggest a job for him or her. First write some interview
questions. Use the key words to get started.
1. work in one place / travel a lot
Do you like/prefer to work in one place or travel a lot?
2. work and make decisions alone / discuss issues with
Are you better at working and making decisions
others
alone or discussing issues with others?
3. be happy / be well paid
4. a quiet, predictable schedule / a busy, unpredictable
schedule
__________________________________________________________________
5. chat in English / write in English
________________________________________________________________
6. work indoors / work outdoors
__________________________________________________________________
7. strike up a conversation with a stranger / give a presentation
to a small group
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
8. your question: __________________________________________________

Do you like to work in one place or travel a lot?

I like to travel, but not for workso my answer
is work in one place. How about you?

Based on your partners answers, choose a future job for him or her.
How does your partner like your suggestion?
A: Lets see . . . you like to travel a lot and you like
a busy, unpredictable schedule, right?
B: Yes, thats correct.
A: Plus, youre good at chatting in English.

26

B: Well, I know basic conversational English.

A: Thats great! I think you should be a ight
attendant for an international airline. You can
travel and practice your English at the same
time!

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Getting Information
Lesson B

In the news

1 Vocabulary Link

Have you heard the news?

Look at these three kinds of news programs. What are the names of some
popular news shows where you live? Why are those particular shows popular?

Take this quiz.

1. How do you typically get your news?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. I am most interested in . . .
international (world) news
local news (about my town or city)
national news (about my country)
because ________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Which of these TV programs do you watch and how often do you watch them?
cable news channels
morning news programs
nightly network news
entertainment news
4. When you learn a juicy piece of news, who do you tell rst? _____________________________________
5. Think of someone famous who was recently in the news.
Who was it? ____________________________________
Why was the person discussed so much in the media? (newspapers, magazines, radio,
and TV)? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Think again about the news story in #5. How did you hear the news?
on TV
on the radio
in the newspaper
online
by word of mouth. (= Someone told me.)
Did you tell anyone else the news? If so, how many people did you tell? ____________________
7. Which do you think is a better news source: traditional media (newspapers,
magazines, radio, TV, etc.) or new media (Internet sources). Why? ____________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Explain your quiz answers to a partner.

Usually from TV, I guess. I never read newspapers.

How do you typically get your news?

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2 Listening
A

Your source for the news

What do these words mean? Can you write their opposites?

1. reliable ____________________________

2. ____________________________ inaccurate

Which news source do you think is most reliable? most inaccurate?

The news report is about _______________________ from many countries ______________________ .

CD 1
Track 16

C
CD 1
Track 17

Listen to the reporter and complete the sentence below.

a. young adults; and how often they watch the news

c. young adults; and where they get their news

b. young adults; who are in the news

d. older adults; and where they get their news

Study the charts and listen to the entire report. Complete the charts with the correct letter.
Main Source for News

A online

radio
5%

B cable news
C newspaper

_________
15%

_________
40%

Entertainment
news
20%

News knowledge
75%

A international news

60%

B national news

45%

C local news

30%
15%
0%

_________
20%

ASK
K ANSWER

3 Reading
A

Nutty news

Which do the people from the survey

trust more: traditional or new media?
Why? Which do you trust more?

Look at the two photos on page 29. Then use the words
below to make a title for each news article.
hero

office

hopping

wet

You have one minute. Scan the articles and underline examples
of the present perfect. (The rst one has been done for you.)

Read the rst article. Number the events in the order they happened. (One statement is extra.) Then retell
the story to a partner using the appropriate verb forms.

a. ___ Lulu barks like a dog.

d. ___ The family nds Ken.

g. ___ Lulus mother dies.

b. ___ Lulu is adopted.

e. ___ Lulu leaves the zoo.

h. ___ Ken has an accident.

c. ___ Ken is unconscious.

f. ___ Lulu goes everywhere with Ken.

Read the second article. What do these pairs of items have in common?
Write your answers and then compare them with a partners.
These are things you can do in Vanuatu.
1. visit waterfalls / take an aerial tour _______________________________________________________________

2. scuba diving / snorkeling ________________________________________________________________________

3. three meters below the surface / near Port Vila ___________________________________________________
4. buy waterproof postcards / receive a special stamp _______________________________________________

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Local news*.com
Our _______

__________

.com
*
s
w
al ne

o
i
t
a
n
r
Inte
s
This po

t ___

_____
is all __
_
_
_
_
___

___ !

The word waterproof is in the second article. What

does it mean? What do these other words ending in
-proof mean?
reproof

bulletproof

Do you know any others?

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4 Language Link
A

Be careful!

Review of the present perfect

For events at a specic time (period) in

the past, use the simple past.

Study the chart. Then complete the news story below with
the verbs in parentheses. Use the present perfect or the simple past.

I lived in Tokyo from 20082009.

I bought that magazine yesterday.

Using the Present Perfect

Use the present perfect for actions that began in the past and continue in the present.
Ive worked for the same network news program for ten years.
You can also use the present perfect to talk about actions that happened in the past, when the
time they happened isnt important.
Have you ever seen this program?
Use the present perfect with just for an action that has been completed recently.
Ive just told them the news. Everyones surprised!
Bruno Hoffman lives near Toft Park. Every morning for the past
10 years, he (1. take) _______________ a walk in the park.
Yesterday a strange thing (2. happen) _______________ . In the
park, a squirrel (3. jump) _______________ onto his shoulder. It
wouldnt leave. When Bruno (4. brush) _______________ it off, it
(5. jump) _______________ up again.
At that point, Bruno (6. call) _______________ the police.
A friendly squirrel (7. attack) ___________________ just
_________________ me, he said.
I (8. hear) _______________ never _______________ of such a thing,
said the police officer. He (9. advise) _______________ Bruno to call
an animal shelter for help.
Since the squirrel incident, Bruno (10. stop) _______________
walking in Toft Park. He now walks on an indoor track.

Unscramble the words to make sentences. Change the verbs in blue into
the present perfect.
1. live / since / my family / 2002 / in the same place
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
2. love / sing / always / I / to
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
3. for / visit / I / want / Paris / a long time / to
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
4. a big / friend / pass / exam / just / my
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
5. I / one / English / study / year / for
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

30

Change the sentences in B to make them true for you.

Tell a partner.

My family has lived in the

same place since I was born.

L E S S O N B In the News

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5 Writing

An unusual news story

Read this unusual news

story. Then write your
own unusual news story.

Exchange stories with a

partner. Write a headline
for your partners story.

6 Communication
A

Nov

Blogging
Bl
i

Read Melissas blog entry.

What is she writing about? What is her job?

Imagine it is ten years from now. You are

doing something exciting in your life.
Complete these sentences with your own
information.
1. Ive ___________________________________
for . . . / since . . . _______________________

Melissas World
Melissa

Have you ever read In the Media magazine?

Well, you shouldbecause Im going to be in it!
Ive just nished my interview. Ive worked so
hard for many years and now my career is going
really well. I have two new movies coming out in
the fall!

2. Ive just
_______________________________________
3. Right now Im
_______________________________________
4. In the future I plan to
_______________________________________

On a separate piece of paper, write your own blog entry using the information in B.
Then follow the steps below.
Hand in your blog entry.
Your teacher will shuffle the papers and hand each of you someone elses paper.

ed my
ve just finish
I
.
w
no
s
ar
ye
ment.
r two
l news depart
s company fo
na
w
io
ne
at
e
rn
bl
te
ca
in
is
th
the
d I love it.
m working in
Ive worked at
. Right now I
h in my job an
st
lis
ca
ng
E
ad
e
ro
b
us
e
I
first liv
overseas.
I plan to work
In the future

Get into groups of three. Try to guess whose blog entry you received.

Check out the World Link video.

Practice your English online at http://elt.heinle.com/worldlink

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